Suction cleaner



Sept- 5, 1961 P, E. 'GAUDRY 2,998,864

SUCTION CLEANER ATTORNEY P. E. GAUDRY SUCTION CLEANER Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l, 1958 a ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 5, 1961 United States Patent Oiiice My invention relates to suction cleaners.

In recent years suction cleaner dust bags formed of paper permeable to air have become quite popular. When a paper dust bag is employed in a suction cleaner, it is often the practice to provide an apertured holder for the paper `bag to reinforce the bag and reduce its tendency to split or burst during operation of the cleaner.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved suction cleaner of simpliiied construction in which an apertured holder for `a dust bag can readily be assembled with other parts of the cleaner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved suction cleaner having an yapertured holder for a dust bag which is constructed in such a manner that the dust bag holder is `accurately aligned with the cleaner casing and rigidly secured in place by an end ring xed to an open end of the casing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the `features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specication.

For -a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following, description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a suction cleaner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cleaner illustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts shown in FIG. 1, partly broken away and in section, to illustrate details more clearly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts shown in FIG. 2, partly broken away and in section, to illustrate details; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of parts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention embodied in a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner comprising a casing 10, a front end cover 11 :and rear end cover 12. The casing 1li is provided with -a handle 14 and wheels 15 and 16 to facilitate movement thereof on a supporting surface, the wheels 16 being at opposing sides of the casing and the single caster Wheel 15 at the front end of the casing being disposed between the side walls of the cleaner `and having parts 17 o-f -a glider at each side thereof. .As shown in FIG. 3, the caster wheel 15 is mounted at the bottom of casing 10 to a member 1S which is secured at 19 to the casing. i y

The -front end cover 11 is formed with an inlet 20 to which a suction hose (not-shown) is adapted to be removably connected. Suitable cleaning tools may be connected to a wand which inturn is connected to the outer free end of the suction hose and through which lair flows into the front end of the casing by a suitable motor-fan unit 21 disposed therein. The motor-fan unit 21 is connected in an electrical circuit having a switch (not shown) provided with a manually operable control member 22 at the top of the casing 10. Dirt entrained in air drawn into the inlet is separated from air when it passes through a dust collecting member 23, and air lfrom which dirt has been removed is discharged from the-casing through an opening (not shown) in the rear end cover. End rings 24 and 25 are provided :at the front and rear ends, respectively, of the casing 10. The rear end cover 12 is removably secured to the casing 10 in any suitable manner (not shown).

The top of the casing 10 includes two portions at different elevations which are joined by a sloping wall portion. A trim strip 26, which conformes tothe top of the casing and includes two sections at diiierent elevations, extends lengthwise of the casing top and is fixed thereto in any suitable manner. The higher level section of the trim strip 26, which is of inverted U-sh-ape, is provided with elongated slots in which an end of the handle 14 is anchored and through which the switch control member 22 extends. The forward end of the trim strip 26, to which the forward end of the handie is fixed, is anchored yat 27 to the raised part 24a of the front end ring 24, `as shown in FIG. 3. The top part 24a of the front end ring 24 is secured at 28 to an angle bracket 29 xed to the top of the casing 10. The bottom part of the front end ring 24 is provided with a horizontally extending part 24b, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7.

The front of the part 24b is of convex shape and the rear thereof is of concave shape to provide a trough or groove 24C having end walls 30 provided with openings 31,215 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. Openings 32 are provided adjacent the ends of part 24b for rtceiving screws 33 having tightening nuts 34 disposed in recesses 35 formed in lugs or bosses 36 provided at the bottom of the member 18 and depending downwardly therefrom, as best shown in FIG. 4. By turning the screws 33 the nuts 34 in the recesses 35 are automatically tightened and become eilective to draw the bottom part of the front end ring 24 toward the end of the casing 10.

'Ihe front end cover 11 yis provided with lugs 37 at the bottom thereof yfor hinging the cover to the bottom part 24b of the front end ring 24. The lugs 37 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the bottom part 24b of ,the front end ring 24, so that they will tit nicely over the apertured end walls 30 of the part 24b and provide slight clearance between these parts. The front cover lugs 37 have openings 38 and yare pivotal- 1y mounted on the bottom part 24b of the front end ring 24 by pins 39 having their heads 39a disposed at the ends of the trough 24e.

In assembling the structure illustrated and just described, the member 18 is iirst secured -at 19 to the bottom of the casing 10. The front end cover 11 is next pivotally mounted on the bottom part 24b by the pins 39, after which the front end ring 24 is secured to the end of the casing 10 by the screws 33 and tightening nuts therefor. In FIG, 4 it will be noted that the screw 33 limits inward movement of the head 39a of the pin 39, whereby.

mounting of the end cover 11 on the front end ring is eiected simply by inserting the pins 39 through the aligned openings 31 and 38 in the end walls 30 of part 24b and front end cover lugs 37, respectively.

A latch may be provided in the front end cover 11 for latching the end cover to the casing 10, as shown in` latch member and the leg 47 engaging a stop 48 in they cover il. Thus, spring 4-5 yieldingly rocks the latch member 4t) toward latching position.

A lug 49 extends upwardly from the latch member 40 between the pivot pin 41 and catch 44 and projects into an opening 50 in the front end cover 1l. A push button 51 is mounted on the lug 49 for manually pressing the latch member against the action of spring 45 to an unlatching position. Latching member 40 also has a depending arm 40a which may be connected to other `parts (not shown) in the end cover 11 in such a manner that, when the push button 51 is released and the spring 4S becomes effective to rock the latch member 48 counterclockwise, such upward rocking movement will be arrested to position the cam surface 52 on the nose of the latch member at a region at which the cam surface will engage the pin 42 when the end cover 11 is again moved to its closed position. With such arrangement, the pin 42 will automatically rock the latch member 4) clockwise until it moves to its locked position illustrated in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the inner side of the ront end ring 24 is provided with a U-shaped groove` 53 which receives the front or forward edge of the casing l() when the front end ring is secured thereto in the manner described above. A suitable sealing gasket 54 is provided in the groove 53 about the extreme edge of casing 1) to provide an air-tight joint. A section 10a of casing l0, at the extreme forward edge thereof, is of slightly larger cross-section than the casing section immediately adjacent thereto, to provide a shoulder 10b against which bears an outwardly extending ange 55a at the open end of an elongated self-sustaining and noncollapsible basket 55 in which the dust collecting member 23 is disposed, the basket having a bottom SSb and side wall 55e and being apertured for flow of air therethrough. The inner wall of the U-shaped groove 53 is dened by part 24d of the front end ring having an inwardly extending portion which engages the flange 55a of the basket 55 to firmly clamp and hold the latter in position within the casing 10 against the shoulder 10b of the casing.

The inwardly extending part 24d of the front end ring 24 is also provided with a flange 24e to provide a groove 56 which receives a sealing gasket 57. The dust collecting member 23, which may be in the form of a paper bag permeable to air, is provided with a stii cover 23a which engages the gasket 57 and forms an air-tight seal between these parts.

The front end cover 1l is provided with a hollow sleeve or tubular part 58 which extends rearwardly from the inlet 20. The tube S projects through an opening in a closure plate 59 provided at the open end of the end cover 11 and xed thereto in any suitable manner (not shown). An annular gasket 60 is positioned in the gap at the opening in the closure plate 59 to seal the joint between the closure plate and tube 58. The gasket 60 is provided with an outwardly flaring portion 60a which is disposed outside the closure plate and at its outer edge engages the dust bag cover 23a to hold the latter yieldingly against the gasket 57 to provide an airtight seal therebetween.

The dust bag cover 23a, which may be formed of stiff cardboard, is provided with a central opening which may be closed by a thin resilient membrane having split or overlapping parts 61 which yield and spread apart when the tube 58 projects through the opening in the dust bag cover 23a, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6r. When the tube 58 is retracted from the dust bag 23 upon opening the front end cover 11, the membrane parts 61 return to a at position extending across the opening in the stiff cover 23a and seal the dirt in the dust bag 23.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that the enlarged end section a of the casing 1# forms an end zone at the inner end of which a shoulder 10b is formed. The front end ring 24 is formed with an end wall and spaced apart outer and inner side walls, the outer side wall 24f overlying the end zone 10a of the casing 10 and the inner side wall 24d extending inwardly toward the shoulder 10b. The outer and inner side walls of the end ring 24 provide a groove 53 which receives the end zone 10a and sealing provisions S4 to provide a seal between the casing 10 and the end ring.

The inwardly extending inner side wall 24d of the end ring 24 is effectively utilized to anchor and hold at the shoulder 10b the flangeSSa of the apertured basket 55 to support the latter at its open end in cantilever fashion. In a suction cleaner which has been built and like that described and illustrated herein, a shoulder 10b having a width of .078 of an inch has been found satisfactory, although the width of the shoulder may vary from 1/16 to 1/a of an inch.

As best seen in FIG. 7, the face of the inner side wall 24d of the end ring 24 opposite its front end wall provides a bearing surface which overlies all regions of the flange 55a of the apertured cage or basket 5S, thus accurately aligning the latter with the casing 10 so that it will be rigidly secured in place by the end ring 24.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated and described, the end zone 10a of the casing 10 desirably frictionally engages the inner wall surface of the groove 53, the sealing provisions 54 being disposed between the end zone 10a of the casing and the outer wall surface of the groove. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the outer side wall 241 of the end ring 24 extends longitudinally of and circumferentially about the end zone 10a to conceal it from View.

The stii cover plate 23a is disposed about the air inlet end of the paper dust bag 23 and is engaged by the gasket 57 which is held in the groove 56 formed in the inwardly extending part 24d of the end ring 24. When the cover 11 is closed, the annular gasket 60 about the hollow member 5S resiliently holds the cover plate 23a of the dust bag in good intimate contact with the gasket 57. As explained above and shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the air inlet of the paper dust bag 23 and tube 58 are in communication with one another during normal operation of the cleaner when the cover 1 1 is closed.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, such variations and modifications are contemplated as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

I claim:

'1. In a suction cleaner through which air is adapted to be moved, a casing having an open end, a longitudinally extending zone of the casing at its open end having an enlarged section to provide an outwardly extending shoulder on the casing which is spaced from the extreme end thereof, an end ring for said casing having an end wall and spaced apart outer and inner side walls extending therefrom longitudinally of the casing to provide a groove having a closed end and spaced apart outer and inner wall surfaces, the end zone of the casing being disposed in the groove, sealing means in the groove to provide a seal between the end ring and the casing, an elongated openended member forming a compartment adapted to receive a dust bag for removing and collecting dust from air which is moved therethrough, the elongated open-ended member being disposed within the casing and having a bottom and side wall extending from the bottom toward the end ring, the side wall of the elongated open-ended member at the open end thereof-having an outwardly extending ilange at the shoulder of the casing, the elongated openended member being self-sustaining apertured for air to be moved freely therethrough, the inner side wall of the end ring projecting longitudinally within the casing toward the shoulder, and means including the inner side wall of the end ring for clamping the flange of the elongated openended member at the shoulder to support the latter at itsopen end.

2. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1 in which the outer peripheral edge portion of the flange conforms substantially to the inner surface of the enlarged section of Ithe longitudinally extending end zone of the casing and snugly tits therein.

3. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 2 in which the face of the inner side wall of the end ring opposite its end wall provides a bearing surface which overlies substantially all regions of the ange of the member.

4. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1 in which the width of the shoulder is lfrom about 1/16 to 1A; of an inch.

5. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1 which includes means disposed extem'orly of the groove in the end ring for detachably connecting the lat-ter to the casing to clamp the ilange of the elongated open-ended member at the shoulder.

6. A suction cleaner as set `forth in claim 5 in which said means for detachably connecting the end ring to the `casing comprises apertured brackets ixed to the outer surface of the casing adjacent to the open end thereof, the end ring having apertured regions disposed exteriorly of the groove therein, and means passing through the apertured brackets and regions of the end ring for detachably connecting the end ring to the casing to clamp the flange of the elongated open-ended member at the shoulder.

7. In a suction cleaner through which air is adapted to be moved, a sheet metal casing having an open end, a longitudinally extending zone of the casing at its open end having an enlarged section to provide an outwardly extending shoulder on the casing which is spaced from the extreme end thereof, an end ring for the casing having an end wall and spaced apart outer and inner side walls extending therefrom longitudinally of the casing to provide a groove having a closed end and spaced apart outer and inner wall surfaces, Vthe inner Wall surface of the groove being parallel to the end zone of the casing, the end Zone f the casing being disposed in the groove in `frictional engagement with its inner wall surface and spaced from its outer wall surface, sealing means in the groove between its outer wall surface and the casing, an elongated openended member forming a compartment adapted to receive a dust bag for removing and collecting dust from air which is moved therethrough, the elongated open-ended member being disposed within the casing and having a bottom and side Wall extending from the bottom toward the end ring, the side wall of the elongated open-ended member yat the open end thereof having an outwardly extending flange at the shoulder of the casing, the flange comprising a substantially at element which is transverse to the side wall of the elongated open-ended member and forms a unitary part thereof, the elongated open-ended member being self-sustaining and apertured for yair to be moved freely therethrough, the inner side Wall of the end ring projecting longitudinally within the casing toward the shoulder, and means including the inner side wall of the end ring for clamping the ange of the elongated openended member at the shoulder to support the latter at its open end.

8. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 7 in which the Width of the shoulder is less than I; of an inch.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,145,047 Weidemann et al. `luly 6, 1915 2,564,467 Cranmer Aug. 14, 1951 2,764,255 Beede Sept. 25, 1956 

